Grooved coaxial cable connector



y 1967 w. R. .J. BROWN ETAL GROOVED COAXIAL CABLE CONNECTOR Filed March31, 1965 ill lllllIllllll 3 a who ww m m 100 3% e3 0% IRLD. r u 3m m J M3,320,575 Patented May 16, 1967 ice 3,320,575 GROOVED COAXIAL CABLECONNECTOR Walter R. J. Brown, Lexington, Roy L. Komack, Stoneham, andNorman D. Gilmartin, West Peabody, Mass,

assignors to United-Carr Incorporated, Cambridge,

Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 31, 1965, Set. No. 444,253 3Claims. (Cl. 339-268) The present invention relates generally toelectrical connectors and in particular to a coaxial connector forconnecting an externally grooved coaxial cable transmission line to anelectrical apparatus.

Since the discovery of the grooved coaxial cable it has been found thatnone of the present connectors available on the market will work to makean efficient electrical connection. The present invention is a solutionto the problem of making the required connection.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector adapted toengage an externally grooved coaxial cable.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a connectorwhich may be threaded onto an externally grooved cable.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, inpart, appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the connector and the grooved coaxialcable;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the assembly of the connector shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of a variation of a connector shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the adaptor shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross section of another variation of the adaptor.

There is shown in the drawings a plug housing 10 comprising a shell 12which is generally tubular in configuration, open at both ends, whichincludes internal threads 14 at its upper portion and an internal groove16 spaced from the end opposite from that proximate to the threads 14, abody portion 18 which is also tubular in configuration and whichincludes an upper portion having a web portion 20 providing an internalshoulder 22 and an external groove 24 and a lower portion which includesinternal threading 26. To connect the shell 12 with the body portion 18a C-clamp or ring 28 is engaged within the external groove 24 and thenpressure is applied allowing the internal surface of the shell 12 toslide over the C-ring 28 until it is in line with the groove 16 and willthen snap into the groove 16 thereby locking the two parts together asshown in FIG. 3. An outer contact 30 is engaged within the cavity of theplug housing 10 and is provided with an inner insulating plastic insert32, both of which are engaged against the shoulder 22 of the bodyportion 18 as shown in FIG. 3. The Teflon insert 32 is provided toinsulate the outer contact 30 from the inner or pin contact 34. The nextelement in the assembly is a gasket slicer or compressor 36 which hasthe form of a truncated cone and includes a sharp cutting edge 37. Arubber gasket 38 is placed within the body portion 18 and against thecutting edge 37 of the gasket slicer 36 which has already been placedwithin the body portion 18 against the opposite side of the web portion20 from the internal shoulder 22 as shown in FIG. 3. This gasket 38 maycontain a channel, formed on its upper surface. The slicer 36 is pressedagainst the floor of the channel. A collet clamp 42 which comprises ahead portion 44 and a series of legs 46 which are spaced from eachotheraround the periphery of an aperture formed through the base portion 44and which extend away from the base 44. The legs 46 are angled towardeach other defining an inside and an outside taper. A clamp nut 48 whichis externally threaded and has a head portion is utilized to connect theassembly together. The plug housing 10, the shell 12, the body portion18, the outer contact 30, the Teflon insert 32, the gasket slicer 36,the rubber gasket 38, the collet clamp 42, and the clamp nut 48 all haveaxial apertures or openings for purposes to be described hereinafter. Anadaptor element 50 formed of an electrically conductive material isgenerally tubular in configuration and has internal threading.

A pin or male contact 34 is attached, by soldering for example, to theinner conductor of an externally grooved and plated coaxial cable 54.This cable has an external sleeve or insulator associated therewith.

To assemble the connector, the adaptor element 50 is threaded onto thethreads formed by the external grooving of the plated coaxial cable 54.The gasket slicer 36 is dropped into the body portion 18 to butt againstthe web portion 20 with the cutting edge 37 directed away from the webportion 20. The gasket 38 is then placed against the cutting edge 37.And the collet clamp 42 is placed on the rubber gasket 38 with its headportion 44 in abutting relationship therewith. At this juncture all ofthe apertures formed through the diflerent elements are in axialalignment. The inner contact 34 with its attached coaxial cable 54 andthe threaded on adaptor element 50 are now passed through the aperturesformed by the elements until the male contact 34 protrudes within thearea defined by the insert 32. The clamp nut 48 is now passed over thecoaxial cable 54 with its insulation and between the collet clamp 42 andthe body portion 18 and is then threaded into engagement throughitsexternal threading with the internal threading of the body portion18. As the clamp nut 48 is threaded onto the body portion 18 the legs 46of the collet clamp 42 which provide a taper are pressed against theinsulation of the coaxial cable 54 as well as against the externalsurface of the adaptor element 50. When the threading is completed theassembly is ready for use.

FIGS. 4 and 5 disclose a variation of the connector shown in FIGS. 1through 3. Most of the elements are the same except that an insulatingor plastic collar 56 is interposed between the pin contact 34a and theouter conductor of the coaxial cable 54a. This is accomplished bystripping the outer conductor back for a short distance and thenengaging the collar 56 around the inner conductor. The pin contact 34amay then be soldered on the inner conductor thereby sandwiching thecollar 56 between the pin contact 34a and the external conductor of thecoaxial cable 54a. A further change is that the collet and adaptor arecombined to provide a slideproof collet 58. The slide-proof collet 58comprises a head portion 44a and a tubular barrel portion 62 whichincludes a series of longitudinal slots 64 spaced from each other aroundthe circumference of the barrel portion 62 to provide a series of arms66. Each of the slots 64 extends from the terminal end of the barrelportion 62 to a point spaced from the head portion 44a. If desired, oneor more of the slots 64 may be extended up to the head portion 44a tovary the flexibility of some of the arms 66. The arms 66 extend at aslight angle from the head portion 44a. In other words, the arms 66 forthe greater portion of their length are biased away from the axis of thebarrel portion 62. The arms 66 are also threaded on their insidesurfaces. The engagement of the slide-proof collet 58 is the same inmost respects as the engagement of the collet and adaptor combinationdescribed hereinbefore except that the internal threads of the biasedarm 66 proximate the head will engagein threaded relation with thecoaxial cable 54a for only part of the length of the barrel portion 62and when the clamp nut 48a is engaged with the assembly the remaininglength of the arm 66 will be forced into a clamping threaded engagementwith the remaining portion of the cable 54a to be engaged.

A further variation of the slide-proof collet 58b is shown in FIG. 6. Inthis case, an extension 68 which has an axial bore, and which isinternally threaded protrudes above the head portion 44b. The internalthreading is stopped at a predetermined distance from the open end ofthe tubular barrel portion 62b, as shown in FIG. 6, to provide anon-threaded clamp portion 70. The external configuration of theslide-proof collet 58b is the same as the collet 42 with the exceptionof the extension 68. Longitudinal slots 6417 are provided as in thecollet 42 from the head portion 44b to the open end through the clampportion 70. Engagement of this assembly is the same as that of thecollet 42 and adaptor 50 shown in FIG. 3.

If desired, an angular slicer portion (not shown) may be placed on theunder surface of the flange of the head portion 44b to do away with theslicer 36 and thereby further simplify the assembly.

With reference to the foregoing description it is to be understood thatwhat has been disclosed therein represents only a single embodiment ofthe invention and is to be construed as illustrative rather thanrestrictive in nature; and that the invention is best described by thefollowing claims:

What is claimed:

1. An electrical connector for engagement with an externally groovedcoaxial cable, said connector including a housing assembly comprising atubular shell, a tubular body portion, a separate clamp nut and a colletclamp, means engaging said body portion with said shell which permitssaid shell to rotate relative to said body portion, said body portionhaving an internally threaded portion, said collet clamp comprising ahead portion, a

series of legs extending from said head portion and aperture meansthrough which the coaxial cable extends, said legs being spaced fromeach other around the periphery of said aperture means and havinginternally threaded means associated therewith for threading onto theexternal grooves of the coaxial cable, said clamp nut having anexternally threaded portion and having a tapered aperture formedtherethrough, a portion of said collet clamp lying within said bodyportion and said externally threaded portion of said clamp nutcircumscribing a portion of said legs of said collet clamp and threadedinto engagement with said internally threaded portion of said bodyportion, whereby when said clamp nut is screwed into said body portion,said legs cause said threaded means to press against the coaxial cableto make an electrical connection therewith.

2.. An electrical connector for engagement with an externally groovedcoaxial cable according to claim 1 wherein said threaded means comprisesa tubular internally threaded adapter element.

3. An electrical connector for engagement with an externally groovedcoaxial cable according to claim 1 wherein said threaded means comprisesa series of threads formed on the inner surface of said legs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,710,416 4/1929Goeller 339268 1,712,108 5/1929 Goeller 339-268 X 1,941,715 1/1934Pfisterer 339270 X 2,191,258 2/1940 Matthysse 339268 X 2,279,508 4/1942Bergan 339-267 2,436,712 2/ 1948 Burrell et al.

2,650,584 9/1953 Berstler 339263 2,952,830 9/1960 Sperzel et a1. 339-273X MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBA'UM. Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH AN EXTERNALLY GROOVEDCOAXIAL CABLE, SAID CONNECTOR INCLUDING A HOUSING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING ATUBULAR SHELL, A TUBULAR BODY PORTION, A SEPARATE CLAMP NUT AND A COLLETCLAMP, MEANS ENGAGING SAID BODY PORTION WITH SAID SHELL WHICH PERMITSSAID SHELL TO ROTATE RELATIVE TO SAID BODY PORTION, SAID BODY PORTIONHAVING AN INTERNALLY THREADED PORTION, SAID COLLET CLAMP COMPRISING AHEAD PORTION, A SERIES OF LEGS EXTENDING FROM SAID HEAD PORTION ANDAPERTURE MEANS THROUGH WHICH THE COAXIAL CABLE EXTENDS, SAID LEGS BEINGSPACED FROM EACH OTHER AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID APERTURE MEANS ANDHAVING INTERNALLY THREADED MEANS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR THREADING ONTOTHE EXTERNAL GROOVES OF THE COAXIAL CABLE, SAID CLAMP NUT HAVING ANEXTERNALLY THREADED PORTION AND HAVING A TAPERED APERTURE FORMEDTHERETHROUGH, A PORTION OF SAID COLLET CLAMP LYING WITHIN SAID BODYPORTION AND SAID EXTERNALLY THREADED PORTION OF SAID CLAMP NUTCIRCUMSCRIBING A PORTION OF SAID LEGS OF SAID COLLET CLAMP AND THREADEDINTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID INTERNALLY THREADED PORTION OF SAID BODYPORTION, WHEREBY WHEN SAID CLAMP NUT IS SCREWED INTO SAID BODY PORTION,SAID LEGS CAUSE SAID THREADED MEANS TO PRESS AGAINST THE COAXIAL CABLETO MAKE AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION THEREWITH.